The next day at the gathering started out the same as the day before, with the children meeting on their tarps. Sunny had met her group earlier, but the spirit from the day before told her she could join Eclipse and Zaira's group. They all ate breakfast on the tarp, and a boy called Rayem showed them some tricks that his pet Dark Dragon Ao could do. That day's gathering was in the Valley of Triumph, and they were doing various physical assessments like flying, swimming, and skating. Surprisingly, the Valley Elders supervised the session. There were a couple of other spirits, but not a lot. The cold winds whipped through Sunny's hair as she listened to the Elders.

"The first test will be skating," One of them said, pointing down the slope, "There are three paths, choose the one most appealing-"

"Now GO!" The other Elder interrupted gleefully.

Sunny jumped and launched herself down the left path, the wind rushing past her. She shot off the end of the path and landed with a clink on a wide ice rink. It had an island in the center with a couple of snow-coated benches, and holes in the ice full of water. The rest of the Sky Children hurtled down the path, causing the snow to fly up in drifts when they landed. Sunny met up with Rayem, Zaira, and Eclipse on the rim of one mysterious hole in the ice.

"Everyone, the next test is swimming! We will be assessing how long you can stay in the water! Good luck!" One of the Elders announced, having seeming

Eclipse shrugged and jumped with a splash into the hole, spraying everyone with a film of ice-cold water.

"MY CAPE!" Zaira shrieked. Rayem snickered and Sunny smacked him.

"She really likes her cape," Eclipse said, bobbing up from the hole, "And I totally knew that. Now get in here, this is an assessment you know."

Rayem grimaced "I.. can't swim very well," he said.

"Well, it's required!" Eclipse grabbed his hand and yanked him into the water, "And swimming is instinctive," she smirked.

Rayem shrieked at the cold water "HOW CAN WATER EXIST AS WATER WHEN IT'S THIS COLD," He started treading water, his cape holding him up.

"She told you it was instinctive." Zaira drawled, sitting on the rim of the gap. Rayem glared at her, his hair dripping. Sunny snickered and earned a splash from Rayem

"WHY MUST I BE TAUNTED, I CAN SET AO ON YOU, YOU KNOW. SHE BITES VERY HARD."

"Suuuuure" Sunny snorted. Rayem glared again.

✵

After the gathering ended, Eclipse invited Rayem to see their tent circle. He had never seen a manta before and was obsessed with riding them. Eclipse, of course, got REALLY mad at him, and he got another lecture on "Would you ride other Sky children?" He answered yes and Sunny thwacked him with her piano.

"Is your solution to everything whacking people with your piano?" Rayem had said.

"No, but most situations." Sunny had replied, dusting her piano off. The manta had taken it's chance and flown away, much to Rayem's disappointment.